Everyday scenes

Maxine and  librarian

        Maxine and I go to the Hithadoo Public Library every week.  I read to her, then she picks out two books to take home. The librarian records the titles in her ledger and writes the due dates on slips pasted into the books.  Last week, Maxine wanted to check out three books, but children are only allowed two.   The librarian carefully wrote out her own name in the ledger next to the title of the third book, so that Maxine could have three.

Gravestone

       Next to the library is an old mosque with distinctively Maldivian headstones in the graveyard.  The pointed shape is for men; the women's stones are rounded.

Bringing home the fish

       Everywhere we see men with fish.  There is no formal fish market, just a clearing off Link Road by the lagoon where the fishing boats come in every morning around 9.   A man stands at a table in about two feet of water  to scale and fillet the fish.  Islanders carry the pieces of fish off in small blue plastic bags.  More commonly, men on bicycles or motorcycles or on foot carry whole fish in each hand.

                                                                Trucks transporting  workers or vacationers use every inch of their   capacity.

Going to the ferry

Maldivian mezuzah

      Above the inside of the doorways in our house hang papers covered with three columns of of Arabic (or maybe Dhivehi) printing.   The first visitor I asked about them avoided my eyes and said, "They are part of our religion."   The neighbor across the street said that they are verses from the Koran about peace.  Nasreena told me that they have to do with black magic, that they are supposed to work against jinnis, mischievous or malevolent spirits who are out and about after dark.  Whatever the origins, they are the sentinels of our coming in and going out.  I'll take any good wishes for protection that we can get.